Successful environmental management relies on an enormous amount of complex information that is processed further to interpret or predict potential changes and responses. A number of decision support tools (DST) have already been developed to support this process. The aim of BONUS DESTONY is to evaluate these tools and propose the direction of further development.
Decision support tools represent various compartments from the pressure-state-impact-response -chain of actions, cover a wide field of disciplines, and vary in the degree of their availability and use – all these properties characterize them as well as enable investigating their successfulness. BONUS DESTONY will develop definitions and criteria to help evaluate the performance of DST. Furthermore, the tools will be analyzed against the current and anticipated future needs. Finally, an internet-based catalogue will be created as an information base.
A common feature to successful DST is that they are developed in close collaboration with end-users, or even by end-users themselves, and constantly updated along with increasing knowledge or changing requirements. BONUS DESTONY has gathered together a core group of end-users to be interactively involved in the project implementation.
BONUS DESTONY experts. From left: Henrik Nygård (SYKE), Miguel Inacio (IOW), Lisa Bergqvist (SU), Esther Robbe (IOW), Jacob Carstensen (AU), Berit Hassler (AU), Floris van Beest (AU), Bo Gustafsson (SU), Johanna Schumacher (IOW), Vivi Fleming-Lehtinen (SYKE), Alexander Sokolov (SU). Missing from photo: Anna-Stiina Heiskanen (SYKE), Gerald Schernewski (IOW), Marianne Zandersen (AU).
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A Decision Support Tool, as defined by BONUS DESTONY (DESTONY DST), is an interactive digital tool developed with the purpose of supporting decision making in responses to degradation of the Baltic Sea. DESTONY DST may assist in distinguishing changes in the state, links to pressures caused by human activities and drivers behind them, or showing ecological impacts and effects on social welfare, thus facilitating information change between decision makers and experts. The various responses targeted by DESTONY DST may be related to e.g. nutrient reduction, control of hazardous substances, nature conservation, fisheries management, shipping policies or marine spatial planning.
The definition excludes single indicators or models that are not dynamic, in the way that they are not able to show different outcomes. It also excludes tools that are not primarily developed for application in the Baltic Sea and its drainage basin. DESTONY DST don’t have to be publicly accessible but should be transparent and accessible / applicable without unreasonable effort. DESTONY DST do not have to be used, or even intended to be used, in the whole Baltic Sea region; national or regional tools used in any of the participating countries (Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Germany) are included.
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